Last Modified: Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 6:47 p.m.

While a pair of recent wins give the team an emotional boost, if the Seahawks want to make something of this season they will have to win while wearing their dark, road jerseys.

Photo by Jeff Janowski

After the Seahawks beat Old Dominion 65-60 on Wednesday night, a reporter asked Peterson about the team's upcoming stretch, where four of the next five games will be played away from Trask Coliseum.

When you coach a team that hasn't won a road game in one year, airports, interstates and opponent's arenas become scary places. Every hotel room seems haunted.

Time and again, Peterson has watched the Seahawks fizzle late on the lonely road, if they showed up at all. He's tried every tactic short of pulling into the parking lot five minutes before tipoff. Nothing's worked. Last time UNCW ventured out, the highway horror story reached 15 consecutive losses with a 28-point whipping at James Madison. Altogether, the average margin of defeat is 20 points in the nine road losses this season.

The home team wins about 70 percent of the time in Division I college basketball, but this streak is one step shy of ridiculous. If the Seahawks want respect from the CAA, not to mention their own community and fan base, they must show the requisite resolve to notch a victory or two in enemy territory.

Peterson knows it.

"You're too good of a ball club to play like you did (against ODU) and go out there and lose ball games like we have," Peterson told his team after they beat the Monarchs for the first time in seven tries. "I told them I was going to be in to them. I'm going to challenge them, and we're going to have some tough practices leading up to the Georgia State game."

The Seahawks head to Atlanta on Wednesday night to face Georgia State. The Panthers have a talented trio, led by likely CAA Rookie of the Year R.J. Hunter, but not many impressive victories on their resume. The best win is a 68-52 decision over James Madison on Jan. 5. The Dukes are No. 182 in the Pomeroy Ratings. The Panthers are No. 217. The Seahawks are No. 272.

Of course those aforementioned Dukes crushed the Seahawks, but this is no time to compare common opponents. Not in this upside-down, historically awful CAA. A league that sent two different teams to the Final Four in six years is now 25th (out of 31) in the Ratings Percentage Index, sandwiched between the Ivy League and America East. For real.

Anything can happen. There are no juggernauts, no upsets. VCU is long gone and no team has come close to filling those shoes. The Seahawks can win any game remaining on their schedule. They can lose any game remaining on their schedule. But until they prove capable of winning a road game one can only wonder if they ever will.

Peterson feels better about the future because he's finally seeing production from his backcourt. As opposing coaches drape defenders over All-CAA forward Keith Rendleman, it opens driving and shooting opportunities for the guards. Chris Dixon proved he's capable, with 44 points in his last two home games. Yet a quick peek back reveals that in the previous two games – both on the road – Dixon managed only nine points on 4-of-16 shooting and committed seven turnovers.

Other Seahawks have similar splits. And that explains the road woes.

Peterson is tired of hearing about it.

"These next games are going to be a challenge on the road. It irks me when people say you're O-for-the-season," he said. "We're a better ball club than that. Hopefully some of these guys are taking ownership and playing with confidence, so we can win some on the road."

Until that happens the questions will linger and progress will be difficult to measure.

<p>Consecutive home victories over two men's basketball rivals <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic71"><b>UNCW</b></a> had not defeated in five years helped coach <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9942"><b>Buzz Peterson</b></a> feel good about his team again.</p><p>After the Seahawks beat Old Dominion 65-60 on Wednesday night, a reporter asked Peterson about the team's upcoming stretch, where four of the next five games will be played away from Trask Coliseum.</p><p>When you coach a team that hasn't won a road game in one year, airports, interstates and opponent's arenas become scary places. Every hotel room seems haunted. </p><p>Time and again, Peterson has watched the Seahawks fizzle late on the lonely road, if they showed up at all. He's tried every tactic short of pulling into the parking lot five minutes before tipoff. Nothing's worked. Last time UNCW ventured out, the highway horror story reached 15 consecutive losses with a 28-point whipping at James Madison. Altogether, the average margin of defeat is 20 points in the nine road losses this season.</p><p>The home team wins about 70 percent of the time in Division I college basketball, but this streak is one step shy of ridiculous. If the Seahawks want respect from the CAA, not to mention their own community and fan base, they must show the requisite resolve to notch a victory or two in enemy territory.</p><p>Peterson knows it.</p><p>"You're too good of a ball club to play like you did (against ODU) and go out there and lose ball games like we have," Peterson told his team after they beat the Monarchs for the first time in seven tries. "I told them I was going to be in to them. I'm going to challenge them, and we're going to have some tough practices leading up to the Georgia State game."</p><p>The Seahawks head to Atlanta on Wednesday night to face Georgia State. The Panthers have a talented trio, led by likely CAA Rookie of the Year R.J. Hunter, but not many impressive victories on their resume. The best win is a 68-52 decision over James Madison on Jan. 5. The Dukes are No. 182 in the Pomeroy Ratings. The Panthers are No. 217. The Seahawks are No. 272.</p><p>Of course those aforementioned Dukes crushed the Seahawks, but this is no time to compare common opponents. Not in this upside-down, historically awful CAA. A league that sent two different teams to the Final Four in six years is now 25th (out of 31) in the Ratings Percentage Index, sandwiched between the Ivy League and America East. For real.</p><p>Anything can happen. There are no juggernauts, no upsets. VCU is long gone and no team has come close to filling those shoes. The Seahawks can win any game remaining on their schedule. They can lose any game remaining on their schedule. But until they prove capable of winning a road game one can only wonder if they ever will.</p><p>Peterson feels better about the future because he's finally seeing production from his backcourt. As opposing coaches drape defenders over All-CAA forward Keith Rendleman, it opens driving and shooting opportunities for the guards. Chris Dixon proved he's capable, with 44 points in his last two home games. Yet a quick peek back reveals that in the previous two games – both on the road – Dixon managed only nine points on 4-of-16 shooting and committed seven turnovers.</p><p>Other Seahawks have similar splits. And that explains the road woes.</p><p>Peterson is tired of hearing about it.</p><p>"These next games are going to be a challenge on the road. It irks me when people say you're O-for-the-season," he said. "We're a better ball club than that. Hopefully some of these guys are taking ownership and playing with confidence, so we can win some on the road."</p><p>Until that happens the questions will linger and progress will be difficult to measure.</p><p><i>Contact <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic94"><b>Brian Mull</b></a> at Brian.Mull@StarNewsOnline.com and on <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a> @BGMull.</i></p>